Restaurateurs in Washington Heights and Inwood are charging patrons up to $10 to have a worker drive their vehicle around and park it on the street — and the practice is boiling neighbors' nerves.

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"It's not fair," said Juan Gonzalez, 45, who calls it a good day when he can find a spot near Dyckman St. for his red pickup in less than 30 minutes. "People live around here and all these people come to this area and take up our spaces," he added. "It's a mess. They need to do something about it."

City parking regulations ban New Yorkers from using an object such as a box, can or crate to "reserve" a space by blocking it off, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman said.

Alex's Steakhouse on Broadway and W. 184th St. is one of the latest uptown eateries to practice street valet parking. (Simone Weichselbaum for New York Daily News)

Restaurants do not appear to breaking any rule, and their employees say it's simply good business.

"It is more convenient for the customer," said Kenny Perez, the manager of Alex's Steakhouse on the corner of Broadway and W. 184th St., which started the practice two months ago and charges $5 per car.

"There is no designated parking for anyone in this community," Perez said, showing little sympathy for those who have complained the service steals coveted public street parking.

Northern Manhattanites have been fuming about the practice for years, but it seems that more uptown hotspots have begun offering the service.

Double parking is routine on busy 207th St. in Inwood, where local restaurants are deploying workers to valet park patrons' cars in legal street spaces (Simone Weichselbaum for New York Daily News)

Locals have been complaining about waterfront oasis La Marina since 2012, crying the sprawling lounge has its valets park customers' cars in street spots around the neighborhood.

A La Marina spokeswoman, Erica Schietinger, denied the allegations, saying the restaurant has a 70-car lot designated for valet parking and partners with a nearby garage that allows patrons to pre-book a parking space online.

"They heard the community and are working to find a solution," Schietinger said. "They are doing everything in their power to try to solve the (parking) problem."

Popular 809 Lounge on the bustling Dyckman St. outsources its parking service to Rush Parking. The Inwood-based company sends valet drivers to the strip to ask passersby if they want their vehicles parked on the street for $10.

"If you didn't use them, you would be parking on the street yourself," an 809 Lounge manager said.